1-(alpha-hydroxyalkyl) androstenes and process



United States Patent A invention relates to steroid chemistry and is more "articularly concerned with novel processes for thqproduction 'of novel unsaturated 1-( a-hydroxyhydrocarbyh- 3 oxygenat'ed estrane-1118,1713-dio1s. h

It is an'object of this invention to provide the novel processes and novel compounds described herein, the compounds, particularly the 3-keto-4-estrene compounds, having anabolic, androgenic, anti estrogen, and tranquilproperties Q ther objects and uses of this invention wmpe'apparemto one'skilledin the art. 7 I I 'pr'oc es's'o f 'invention, illustrated by the following equation ii/herein R is an ether radical,

is a hydrocarbonoyloxy radical,

on men is an bz-hydroxyhydrocarbyl radical, R is selected from the group consisting of keto [=0], and fi-hydro'xy and a-alkyl jointly /OH 1 *alkyl ice IIIa: R" H IIIb: R4 alkyl and 1 (u-hydroxyhydrocarhyl)-l1,3,17,9- dihydroxy-lhalkyl-4 estren-3-one I IIb). The starting 3-etherified 3 hydroxy 1lit-hydrocarbonoyldiky-l,3,5(-1-0)'}estiatrien 1;7- one (la) is prepared by acyntiss of 3-fliri'fid 3',"l diliydrdxy-l,3,5(10)-estratrien-17 0ne with tliappropriaite hydrocarbon acid,- acid chloride, acid anliydfide, c. The starting 3-'etherified llfi-hydrocarbbnoyl say-1' dalky1-l,3,5(10)festratriehe-3,l7B-diol (I5) is p'r's I aredlfl alkylhtio'n of the 17 carbon atom' of 3-e'thfified 3 5:9;- droxy llfi-hydrocarbonoyloxy 1 ,3;5(1 0)- s trat ri l 7 one (Ia) by the Grig'na'rd method by heating anew magnesium halide Grignard reagent (e2 g; rriet liyl Er'oiiiide oiiodide, ethyl chloride, bromide, of iodide, std 6'1" alkyl lithium compound, using a suitable solvent" (a; g. ether, benzene, toluene, etc.), according to the sa'rfi pro" cedure described in copending application Serial- N6. 605,442, filed August 21, 1956, for the l7-alk ylafio'fi 6r 3-etherified 3,115 dihydroxy l,3,5(l 0) e%atrieh-l7 ofi to produce 3-etherified l7ix-alky'l-1,-3,5(lO) estratrin=- 3,115,1718-trio1. 3-etherified 3,1lfi dihydroXy-1,3,5(10)- estratrien-17-on'e is prepared according to the procedure described in copending application Serial No. 4063 64, filed January 26, 1954.

In the processes of the present invention the cit-act nature of the ether radical (R 0 in the foregoing equation) is immaterial, but generally said ether radical contains less than forty atoms. Preferably said radical is hydrocarbonoxy [hydrocarbon-O] containing less than twelve carbon atoms. In an especially preferred emt'iodi ment of this invention said radical is alkoxy containing less than nine carbon atoms. The most preferred ernbbdiment of said radical is methoxy. Illustrative e't-he'r radicals are methoXy, ethoxy, propoxy, butyroxy, va'leroiy, hexoxy, heptoxy, octanoxy, dir'n'ethylme'thoxy, diethYlmethoxy, isobutyroxy, isovaleroxy, u tetrahydropyr'anyh oxy, a and S-naphthyloxy, cyclohexyloiiy, cycldpentyloiry, mfl-dicarbethoxyethenyloxy, B ketocyclohexenyloity, agridimethylethoxy, ca e and Bfi-diethyletho'xy, benzoity, ortho, meta and para-tolyloxy, oz and p-phenylethyloxy, fl-indolyloxy, u-furyloxy, a and B-cyclohexylethyleneoxy, ortho, meta and para-aminobenzoxy, etc. Further in the process of the present invention the hydrocarbohdyloity radical d n l io in the foregoing equation; generally earns-sis fess twelve carbon atoms. Preferably the hydrocarbent ?!hit? radical is a lower-alkanoyloxy radical containing less than nine carbon atoms. Especially preferred are alkanoyloxy radicals containing less than five carbon atoms, acetyloxy being the most preferred. Illustrative hydrocarbonoyloxy radicals are those of the acids formic, propionic, butyric, isobutyric, valeric, isovaleric, trimethylacetic, Z-methylbutyric, 3-ethylbutyric, hexanoic, diethylacetic, triethylacetic, heptanoic, octanoic, optically active abietic, aethylisovaleric, cyclopropylideneacetic, cyclopentylformic, cyclopentylacetic, on and fl-cyclopentylpropionic, cyclohexylformic, cyclohexylacetic, a and B-cyclohexylpropionic, succinic, glutaric, u-methylglutaric, p-methylglutaric, 18,;3-dimethylglutaric, etc. It is obvious that in the a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl radical I I men in the foregoing equation, the radical portion R without the carbinol group is the same as the hydrocarbonoyloxy radical portion R without the carbonyloxy group and, therefore, R is specified as the radical of the foregoing acids without the carboxyl group. Also in the processes of the present invention the 17a-alkyl radical generally contains less than nine carbon atoms and preferably contains less than five carbons. Especially preferred are alkyl radicals containing less than three carbon atoms with methyl being the most preferred alkyliradical. Illustrative alkyl radicals are methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, isobutyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, isooctyl, etc.

In carrying out the process of the present invention 3- etherified 3 hydroxy 1lp-hydrocarbonoyloxy-1,3,5(10)- estratrien-17-one (Ia) and B-etherified llfi-hydrocarbonoyloxy 17o: alkyl-1,3,5()-estratriene-3,17/3-diol (Ib) are chemically reduced by the Birch reduction method with lithium (or sodium or potassium), an alcohol (preferably a lower-alkanol containing less than six carbon atoms, e. g. methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, etc.), and liquid ammonia, a solvent (e. g. ether, dioxane, tetrahydrofuran, etc.) being employed when necessary to obtain a homogeneous solution, to produce, respectively, 3 etherified 1 (oz-hydroxyhydrocarbyl)-2,5(10)-estradiene-3,llfl,17fi-triol (Ila) and 3-etherified l-(a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl) 17a alkyl-2,5(10)-estradiene-3,l13,175- triol (IIb), preferred procedures being given in Examples 1 and 2. Hydrolyzing and isomerizing the thus-obtained dienes (Ila and 11b) to produce, respectively l-(u-hydroxyhydrocarbyl) 115,176 dihydroxy-4-estren-3-one (IIIa) and l-(a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl)-l1,8,17fl-dihydroxyl7a-alkyl-4-estren-3-one is accomplished (preferred procedures in Examples 3 and 4) by heating (suitably 65 to 125 degrees centigrade) suitably for fifteen minutes to four hours with an acid hydrolyzing agent, e. g. aqueous mineral acid (e. g. dilute sulfuric acid or the preferred dilute hydrochloric acid, etc.) or. aqueous organic acid (e. g. fifty percent aqueous acetic acid, aqueous formic acid, etc.) of suitable acid strength using, if necessary, an organic solvent (e. g. methanol, ethanol, dioxane, etc.) to obtain a homogeneous reaction mixture, the shorter reaction periods and/or lower reaction temperatures usually being preferred when mineral acids are employed. The isolation and purification of the compounds of the foredescribed processes is accomplished by conventional procedures as illustrated by Examples 1 through 4.

The following examples are illustrative only and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention.

Example I .-I (a. hydroxyethyl)-3-methoxy-2,5(I0)- estradiene-I 15,1 7 p-diol A solution of two-hundred milligrams of 3-methoxyllfl acetoxy 1,3,5(10)-estratrien-17-one (melting point 236 to 238 degrees centigrade; [M is plus 117 degrees in chloroform) in fifteen milliliters of purified dioxane, two milliliters of ethanol and fifty milliliters of ammonia is prepared and two-hundred milligrams of lithium is added. When the lithium has reacted, the solvent is evaporated. The resulting residue is treated with water and extracted with methylene dichloride. The methylene dichloride extract is dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and the solvent evaporated to yield l-(a-hydroxyethyl) -3-methoxy-2,5 10) -estradiene-1 1,8, 17B-diol.

In the same manner other 3-etherified 3-hydroxy-1lphydrocarbonoyloxy-1,3,5(10)-estratrien-17-ones are chemically reduced to other S-etherified 1-(a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl) 2,5(10) estradiene-3,116,17fl-triols, including those wherein the 3-ether, llfl-hydrocarbonoyloxy and 1(a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl) radicals are those specified in the foregoing description.

Example 2.1-(a-hydr0xyethyl) -'3-meth0xy-1 7a-methy 2,5 (1 0) -estradiene-1 l [3,1 7,6-di0l 3-methoxy-1 lp-acetoxy 17a methyl 1,3,5 10)-estratrien-l7p-ol in dioxane, ethanol, and liquid ammonia solution is reduced with lithium according to the procedure of Example 1 to produce 1-(u-hydroxyethyl)-3- methoxy-17a-methyl-2,5 10) -estradiene-1 1,8,17B-diol.

Also following the procedure of Example 1 other 3- etherified 1 1 fl-hydrocarbonoyloxy-l7a-alkyl-1,3,5( 10)-estratriene-3,17fl-diols are chemically reduced to other 3- etherified l-(a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl)-17a-alkyl 2,5 10)- estradiene-3,llfl,l7B-triols including those wherein the 3-ether, llp-hydrocarboncyloxy, 17a-alkyl, and l-(a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl) radicals are those specified in the foregoing description.

estren-3-one The 1-( tat-hydroxyethyl) -3-methoxy-2,5 10) -estradiene- 115,17fi-diol from Example 1 is dissolved in fifty milliliters of methanol containing five milliliters of 2.5 percent aqueous sulfuric acid solution and the resulting solution heated under reflux for one-half hour. The solvent then is distilled under vacuum and the residue remaining is extracted several times with methylene dichloride. The extract is chromatographed over fifteen grams of magnesium silicate (Florisil) using acetone-hexane (Skellysolve B) mixtures for elution. The main fraction eighty milligrams on recrystallization from ethyl acetate provides l-(u-hydroxyethyl) -1 15,17B-dihydroxy 4 estren 3- one melting at 221 to 222 degrees centigrade.

Analysis.-Calculated for C H O C, 71.82; H, 9.04. Found: C, 72.04; H, 8.90.

Following the foregoing procedure other 3-etherified l (a hydroxyhydrocarbyl) 2,5 10) estradiene-3,1 118, -triols are hydrolyzed and isomerized by heating with mineral acid in aqueous-organic solvent to produce other 1-( a hydroxyhydrocarbyl)-11p,17B-dihydroxy-4-estren-3- ones, including those wherein the 3-ether and 1-(a-hy droxyhydrocarbyl) radicals are those specified in the foregoing description.

The 1 (or hydroxyethyl) 3 methoxy-l7a-methyl-2,5 (10)-estradiene-11p,l7fi-diol from Example 2 is hydrolyzed and isomerized according to the procedure of Example 3 to produce l-(a-hydroxyethyD-l1p,17fl-dihydroxy-17a-methyl-4-estren-3-one.

Other 3-etherified 1-(a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl)17a-alkyl- 2,5(10)-estradiene-3,l15,17B-triols are hydrolyzed and isomerized in the same manner to produce other l-(a-hy- 1. An unsaturated l-(a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl)-3-oxygenated-estrane-l15,175-diol selected fromthe group con- 7 sisting of compounds of the formulae wherein R is hydrocarbonoxy containing less than twelve carbon atoms,

OH B lm is a-hydroxyalkyl containing less than nine carbon atoms, and R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl containing less than five carbon atoms.

2. 1 (a. hydroxyalkyl) 3 alkoxy 2,5() estradiene-115,175-diol wherein the a-hydroxyalkyl radical contains less than five carbon atoms and the 3-alkoxy radical contains less than nine carbon atoms.

3. 1 (a hydroxyalkyl) 3 alkoxy 17a alkyl 2,5- (10)-estradiene-115,175-diol wherein the a-hydroxyalkyl radical contains less than five carbon atoms, the 3-alkoxy radical contains less than nine carbon atoms and the 17a-alkyl radical contains less than three carbon atoms.

4. 1 (a hydroxyalkyl) 115,175 dihydroxy 4 estren-S-one wherein the a-hydroxyalkyl radical contains less than five carbon atoms.

5. 1 (a hydroxyalkyl) 115,175 dihydroxy 17o: alky1-4-estren-3-one wherein the a-hydroxyalkyl radical contains less than five carbon atoms and the l7oz-alkyl radical contains less than three carbon atoms.

6. 1 (a hydroxyethyl) 3 methoxy 2,5 (10) estradiene-115,175-diol.

7. 1 (a hydroxyethyl) 3 methoxy 17a methyl 2,5 l0) -estradiene-1 15, 175-diol.

8. 1 (on hydroxyethyl) 115,175 dihydroxy 4 estren-3-one.

9. 1 (a hydroxyethyl) 115,175 dihydroxy 17a methyl-4estren-3-one.

10. A process which comprises chemically reducing a compound selected from the group consisting of 3-etherified 3-hydroxy-115-hydrocarbonoyloxy-l,3,5 10) -estratrien-17-one and 3-etherified 115-hydrocarbonoyloxy-17a.- alkyl-1,3,5(10)-estratriene-3,175-diol with lithium, an alcohol, and liquid ammonia to produce, respectively, 3-

etherified l-(a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl)-2,5(l0)-estradiene-3,- 115,175-triol and S-etherified l-(a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl)- l7a-alkyl-2,5 10) -estradiene-3 ,115,175-triol and hydrolyzing and isomerizing the thus-obtained dienes by heating with an acid hydrolyzing agent to produce, respectively, 1 (or hydroxyhydrocarbyl) 115,175 dihydroxy 4 estren-3-one and l-(a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl)-115,175-dihydroxy-17u-alkyl-4-estren-3-one, wherein the 3-ether radical contains less than forty atoms, the -hydrocarbonoyloxy and u-hydroxyhydrocarbyl radicals contain less than twelve carbon atoms, and the l7a-alkyl radical contains less than nine carbon atoms.

11. A process which comprises chemically reducing a compound selected from the group consisting of 3-etherified 3 hydroxy 115 hydrocarbonoyloxy 1,3,5 (10)- estratrien-17-one and 3-etherified ll5-hydrocarbonoyloxy- 17a-alkyl-1,3,5(10)-estratriene-3,175-diol with lithium, an alcohol, and liquid ammonia to produce, respectively, 3- etherified 1-( a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl) -2,5 10 -estradiene- 3,115,175-triol and 3-etherified 1-(a-hydroxyhydrocarbyD- 17a-alkyl-2,5 10) -estradiene-3 ,115,175-triol and hydrolyzing and isomerizing the thus-obtained dienes by heating with an acid hydrolyzing agent to produce, respectively, 1 (a hydroxyhydrocarbyl) 115,175 dihydroxy 4 estren-3-one and l-(a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl)-115,175-dihydroxy-17m-alkyl-4-estren-3-one, wherein the 3-ether radical is hydrocarbonoxy containing less than twelve carbon atoms, the 115-hydrocarbonoyloxy radical is alkanoyloxy containing less than nine carbon atoms, the a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl radical is m-hydroxyalkyl containing less than nine carbon atoms, and the 17u-alkyl radical contains less than five carbon atoms.

12. A process which comprises chemically reducing a compound selected from the group consisting of 3-etherified 3 hydroxy 115 hydrocarbonoyloxy 1,3,5(10)- estratrien-17-one and 3-etherified 115-hydrocarbonoyloxy- 17 -alkyl-1,3,5(10)-estratriene-3,175-diol with lithium, an alcohol, and liquid ammonia to produce, respectively, 3- etherified 1-(a-hydroxyhydrocarbyl)-2,5 10) -estradiene-3, 115,175-triol and 3-etherified 1-(u-hydroxyhydrocarbyn- 17a-alkyl-2,5(10)-estradiene-3,115,175-triol and hydrolyzing and isomerizing the thus-obtained dienes by heating with an acid hydrolyzing agent to produce, respectively, 1 (a hydroxyhydrocarbyl) 115,175 dihydroxy 4- estren-3 -one and 1- (er-hydroxyhydrocarbyl) -1 15,175-dihydroxy-17a-alkyl-4-estren-3-one, wherein the 3-ether radical is alkoxy containing less than nine carbon atoms, the 115- hydrocarbonoyloxy radical is alkanoyloxy containing less than five carbon atoms, the hydroxyhydrocarbyl radical is a-hydroxyalkyl containing less than five carbon atoms, and the 17a-alkyl radical contains less than three carbon atoms.

13. A process which comprises: reacting 3-methoxy- 115-acetoxy-1,3,5(10)-estratrien-17-one with lithium, a lower-alkanol, and liquid ammonia to produce l-(u-hydroxyethyl) 3 methoxy 2,5 (10) estradiene 115,175- diol and heating the thus-obtained diene with dilute mineral acid to produce l-(a-hydroxyethyh-l15,175-dihydroxy-4-estren-3-one.

14. A process which comprises: reacting 3-methoxy- 1 l5-acetoxy-l7a-methyl-l,3,5(10)-estratrien-175-o1 with lithium, a lower-alkanol, and liquid ammonia to produce 1 (a-hydroxyethyl) 3 methoxy 17a methyl 2,5 (10)- estradiene-115,175-diol and heating the thus-obtained diene with dilute mineral acid to produce l-(a-hydroxyethyl) 115,175 dihydroxy 17a methyl 4 estren 3- one.

Reierences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,723,280 Inhofien Nov. 8, 1955 2,759,951 Djerassi Aug. 21, 1956 

1. AN UNSATURATED 1-(A-HYDROXYHYDROCARBYL)-3-OXYGENATED-ESTRANE-11B,17B-DIOL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF COMPOUNDS OF THE FORMULAE 